BANGKOK, 20 October 2021: Registration remains open for the second edition of the Destination Mekong Summit that will convene online from 21 to 22 October.
It’s the second consecutive year that the Mekong Tourism Coordinating Office has opted for a virtual edition of its annual trade event that brings together tourism leaders and business executives from the six-member countries of the Greater Mekong Sub-region – Cambodia, China, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam.
In a press statement to rustle up support for the 2021 Destination Mekong Summit, the MTCO executive director Jen Thraenhart called the summit a “unique concept, focusing on social enterprises from our Experience Mekong Collection and thematic experts from our Mekong Tourism Advisory Group that make this year’s edition a true local experience.”
Focusing on a three-phased approach to “rebuild tourism for a better tomorrow,” the summit’s theme is Re-Start, Re-Form, Re-Balance.
Thraenhart noted the event would look at short-term strategies to build confidence and trust but go much further to “explore the way we do business and innovate with new models, leading to a balanced travel and tourism ecosystem.”
The summit will mark other milestones. For Thraenhart, it will be the last official appearance as the MTCO executive director. He resigned from the post last July after serving Mekong tourism for almost eight years. However, to ensure a smooth transition and to play a role in selecting his replacement, he stayed at the helm until the end of this week. His announcement on his next career opportunity should be made public, possibly at the Destination Mekong Summit.
Also, the six-country board should introduce the next MTCO executive director to the summit if the schedule pans out the way it was planned.
The summit will confirm the winners of the 2021 Experience Mekong Showcases and MIST programme, as well as announce the new Mekong Tourism Recovery Communications Plan and the first edition of the Mekong Stories book.
The summit convenes on the afternoons of 21 and 22 October (1400 to 1600 ICT). To check the programme and register visit: https://www.destinationmekong.com/dms21/
